GM Taps Amsterdam Worldwide for European Launch of Opel

Agency Formerly Known as StrawberryFrog Wins Pitch Worth as Much as $90 Million

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Amsterdam Worldwide has won launch duties for General Motors Corp.'s Opel Meriva model across 40 European countries.

Opel Meriva Credit: General Motors Corp.
The agency formerly known as StrawberryFrog, Amsterdam, beat out McCann Erickson; Lowe, London; and Delaney Lund Knox Warren & Partners in the pitch. Spending wasn't disclosed, but executives familiar with the matter said that pan-European auto launches can be worth as much as $90 million.

"When we examined the cultural context across a lot of markets, we came upon a clear and simple idea that captures this specific car and the role of the Opel brand in the lives of Europeans," Amsterdam Worldwide CEO Brian Elliott said of the pitch, though he did not disclose the specifics of that idea.

Duties include an integrated campaign to launch the mini multipurpose vehicle across Europe after its formal debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010.

Amsterdam Worldwide has launched cars internationally for GM in the past two years, including the Opel Agila, Chevrolet Aveo and Chevrolet Captiva.

GM has a chunk of the German-based automaker up for sale and will sit down next week to discuss a deal put forth by the German government, which has provided Opel with bailout funds. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that GM is asking the governments of the U.K., Poland and Spain for additional aid for Opel.